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iFollow post-pandemic


Lrrr

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While reading Ipswich's forum to see if they'd heard anything similar to KITR's post I came across a thread talking about iFollow and found the discussion point interesting.

Has pandora's box been opened on the basis of fans being able to watch every game of the season and are we likely to ever go back to a situation where fans aren't able to watch their team play any game? Once fans have been able to have a continued period to watch every game I can see a backlash once they can't watch (for example) City away at Middlesbrough on a midweek evening when you'd have no hope of travelling there due to work. Some compromise would have to be made on split of finances, how much games would cost to watch on the platform to maintain home attendances (away games only allowed perhaps? The hardcore support are likely to still travel. An account linked to your post code and if you're within x miles you can't get the game?).

Personally the prospect of going back to a time where I can't watch City play every game for games where I couldn't get to the game anyway would be a shame. Also it seems a shame and having so much football available on tv can help getting kids into watching more games (especially football league teams rather than premier league teams!) that they may not be able to go watch live because of family circumstances. 

Thoughts? 

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I think a degree of exclusivity (i.e. you need to attend in person for most games) will remain. 

Will clubs want to risk fans (other than those who definitely can't attend but would like to pay to watch) making the decision to stay at home instead?

At grounds where they can guarantee to fill all seats (are there any in the championship, other than Norwich?) it's less of an issue, but elsewhere there will need to be a balance to avoid losing some match day revenue. 

I think it's likely to go back to where it was, at least within a year or two. 

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1 minute ago, CotswoldRed said:

I think a degree of exclusivity (i.e. you need to attend in person for most games) will remain. 

Will clubs want to risk fans (other than those who definitely can't attend but would like to pay to watch) making the decision to stay at home instead?

At grounds where they can guarantee to fill all seats (are there any in the championship, other than Norwich?) it's less of an issue, but elsewhere there will need to be a balance to avoid losing some match day revenue. 

I think it's likely to go back to where it was, at least within a year or two. 

Yeah the home attendance is the key thing about this and its why I wondered about making the service available for away games only, perhaps even making it available for away games x miles away from the home stadium? As said even in normal times I wouldn't even think of going to Boro, Preston, the yorkshire clubs away and seems a shame to return to a time where fans can't watch live games because they a) can't get to the game after work b) can't afford to travel all around the country c) have a young family so can't travel round the country etc. This is a chance to make supporting lower league sides more accessible to a younger generation rather than just seeing the premier league clubs on sky but as said attendances as games need to be protected.

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Once "normal" has resumed, I fully expect that the scheduling, TV rules etc will return to how they were before covid.

Let's for argument sake say that they are relaxed a bit though, if that were the case then you most definitely wouldn't be able to watch for a tenner. Expect the cost to go somewhere up near to double that, as clubs will want/need fans back in the grounds. Some/all of that would also have to go to the home team, as they would be the ones suffering through lack of away support.

Look how bad we currently are. I'd like to think if supporters were in the ground watching that tripe, then we would be very vocal, and the players would at least have to respond to something. Currently it's all too nice and nobody is getting on their backs. 

Fans need to be back in as soon as possible for the good of the game.

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7 minutes ago, Lrrr said:

Yeah the home attendance is the key thing about this and its why I wondered about making the service available for away games only, perhaps even making it available for away games x miles away from the home stadium? As said even in normal times I wouldn't even think of going to Boro, Preston, the yorkshire clubs away and seems a shame to return to a time where fans can't watch live games because they a) can't get to the game after work b) can't afford to travel all around the country c) have a young family so can't travel round the country etc. This is a chance to make supporting lower league sides more accessible to a younger generation rather than just seeing the premier league clubs on sky but as said attendances as games need to be protected.

The "away-only" slant is perhaps one worth pursuing. Likely to have minimal impact on revenues, although taking 100/200 (maybe?) off an away attendance is significant for the away side inside the ground. 

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I think our own Club will be hit massively next season financially.

I personally can't see us returning to games like we used to for a long time.

This virus... isn't just going to vanish. The vaccines don't stop you catching it, or spreading it. It just lessens the chance of you dieing from it. You'll still be able to catch it and spread it like we do colds, or flu. 

When season tickets come up for renewal...are people going to pay again, with an uncertainty of not going again?

Everyone I know personally, that I've spoken too, apart from one, has said they won't be bothering to renew. And these are people that have had them for years.

They have taken into account the above...but also this past year has made them revaluate their lives and what's most important to them. Freedom...holidays, being able to go abroad, travel and social interaction with family and friends.

Some said that going to the footy for them was about the social side. But over the past few years it's been increasingly harder to do that. Parking being a massive issue. Getting across town another issue. The extra cost in doing so. Having to plan going to a game like a military expedition. Very poor public transport system...and to top it all next season, we will have to pay approx £10 to cross the City from October because of the clean air zone charge.

Taking all of that into account...people can't be bothered...or in many cases, can't justify the extra costs involved.

Generations have got used to getting to the ground within an hour, parking up, having a few pints with friends, watching the game, then socialising afterwards in a relaxing manner. That is nigh on impossible to do now, unless you live close to the ground. 

Take into account more job losses... I think the club and football in general will be hit hard. 

And people have started to find other things to do.

I do think local non league football will benefit though. 

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It could work on an 'away game streaming' season ticket basis.

You sign up and get a unique login having paid significant for the right to watch away games, revenues split between clubs and broadcasters and off you go.

If 50% went to the broadcaster.

30% to the club selling the away streaming pass.

20% pooled and distributed evenly across the clubs.

You would still likely have those who like to go to away games attending, but if numbers are down and some clubs look forward to hosting some of the clubs with bigger away support to help remain solvent, a shared % of all streamed passes might smooth that deficit.

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28 minutes ago, spudski said:

The vaccines don't stop you catching it, or spreading it. It just lessens the chance of you dieing from it. You'll still be able to catch it and spread it like we do colds, or flu. 

 

Just to point out that this statement is by no means certain. Early reports from Israel seem to suggest that the vaccines may lessen transmission, plus the main story on the BBC News site now is claiming similar in UK (albeit early days - a long way to go to establish this with certainty). I agree though that normality/low enough risk is a way off though. I wouldn’t be surprised to see streaming passes for a good while longer yet - perhaps even streaming season tickets in certain cases. 

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1 minute ago, CyderInACan said:

This already exists for expats, so it’s already a thing. They just need to extend it to the domestic audience. 

Agree. I think it would be a good option for those in vulnerable categories especially (and possibly for away fans too to limit travel around the country for a period).

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I think it’ll pretty much return to way it was once next season starts and we can actually go to games again - away ones too. The vaccine is meant to get our way of life back else it’s pointless - may as well sit at home the rest of our lives - there is always some risk on life.

I wouldn’t want us to go down the American route tbh. I haven’t enjoyed watching City on a tv screen with no crowds - fake atmosphere or no atmosphere. And not solely because of the results and football - it’s about being there and experiencing it properly for me. 

Obviously the radio stuff should remain and if people are going to do VPN stuff to watch then that’s up to them. 

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14 minutes ago, Alex_BCFC said:

I think it’ll pretty much return to way it was once next season starts and we can actually go to games again - away ones too. The vaccine is meant to get our way of life back else it’s pointless - may as well sit at home the rest of our lives - there is always some risk on life.

I wouldn’t want us to go down the American route tbh. I haven’t enjoyed watching City on a tv screen with no crowds - fake atmosphere or no atmosphere. And not solely because of the results and football - it’s about being there and experiencing it properly for me. 

Obviously the radio stuff should remain and if people are going to do VPN stuff to watch then that’s up to them. 

Can’t see crowds being allowed to be back at max capacity at least until November/December and even then I’m not sure we’ll see max capacity at all next season, adults supposedly getting offered a jab by end of July means no second jab until end of October. We’ll have restricted crowds at least until all adults can have a second jab. 

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46 minutes ago, eardun said:

Just to point out that this statement is by no means certain. Early reports from Israel seem to suggest that the vaccines may lessen transmission, plus the main story on the BBC News site now is claiming similar in UK (albeit early days - a long way to go to establish this with certainty). I agree though that normality/low enough risk is a way off though. I wouldn’t be surprised to see streaming passes for a good while longer yet - perhaps even streaming season tickets in certain cases. 

It changes every week. Hence the uncertainty. After this year, people aren't going to buy into 'maybes'.

Everything is a unknown factor...uncertain times, where people won't tie their money up into something that might get cancelled.

Same for holidays. Risking booking...then the ball ache of trying to get your money back, or new rules implemented within days...it just won't happen as much after this past year of uncertainty and chop and change.

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12 minutes ago, Lrrr said:

Can’t see crowds being allowed to be back at max capacity at least until November/December and even then I’m not sure we’ll see max capacity at all next season, adults supposedly getting offered a jab by end of July means no second jab until end of October. We’ll have restricted crowds at least until all adults can have a second jab. 

Be really poor if so. 99% of deaths cut by over 50's having vaccine. By time August comes round then everyone will have had one dose (should they want one at all) and 2 doses would cover most of the population - especially the over 50's and even 40's. Hospital numbers relating to COVID would be down so much it would be just like flu (if that). Also worth bearing in mind how low numbers were last summer by August after things were reopened like pubs. This time they won't go up come September because most will be vaccinated and those that haven't had both doses are those who don't particularly need it (ie young and healthy).

If the vaccine is weakened by variants etc then obviously they will have to review (but even then they will tweak vaccine for these) but it seems like some people want A) zero vovid or B) to sit at home the rest of their lives and not get back to normality whilst everyone's mental health, education and finances suffer for the long term. Its an absolute nonsense.

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39 minutes ago, Alex_BCFC said:

Be really poor if so. 99% of deaths cut by over 50's having vaccine. By time August comes round then everyone will have had one dose (should they want one at all) and 2 doses would cover most of the population - especially the over 50's and even 40's. Hospital numbers relating to COVID would be down so much it would be just like flu (if that). Also worth bearing in mind how low numbers were last summer by August after things were reopened like pubs. This time they won't go up come September because most will be vaccinated and those that haven't had both doses are those who don't particularly need it (ie young and healthy).

If the vaccine is weakened by variants etc then obviously they will have to review (but even then they will tweak vaccine for these) but it seems like some people want A) zero vovid or B) to sit at home the rest of their lives and not get back to normality whilst everyone's mental health, education and finances suffer for the long term. Its an absolute nonsense.

Depends how long the vaccine offers protection for, can just imagine it lasts say several months, you get into Feb/March and it starts to run out, can lead to quick surge in cases again if we’re not careful. I can see it being a winter of caution coming up (by which I mean say 50% capacities in stadiums or 2 seats between groups of people sitting together etc) to make sure we won’t see any more surges so life can return to normal after that 

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As for the minister saying 99%...he said maybe. Not a guarantee. And how he worded it was that 99% of the over 50s had a reduced risk of dieing. Not that they won't...just less chance.

That doesn't stop people catching it, spreading it or going to hospital and being seriously ill. 

People hoping the vaccine is the answer is futile. It's not going to change infection rates. It just reduces the chance of dieing from it.

Unfortunately the fear mongering by the Gov, media and the message that the vaccine is going to be our saviour is the biggest con this country has dealt with in a long time.

Yes the virus exists...yes it kills...but to think wearing masks,self isolating and having the vaccine will be the end of it, then think again imo.

This year will be worse than last imo. Not just the virus...but the knock on effects lockdown has had on physical and mental well being, job losses, highest divorce rate, cancers and other ailments that have been sidelined...and then finding a way of paying back furlough etc.

Watching footy is the least of our worries.

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3 minutes ago, spudski said:

As for the minister saying 99%...he said maybe. Not a guarantee. And how he worded it was that 99% of the over 50s had a reduced risk of dieing. Not that they won't...just less chance.

That doesn't stop people catching it, spreading it or going to hospital and being seriously ill. 

People hoping the vaccine is the answer is futile. It's not going to change infection rates. It just reduces the chance of dieing from it.

Unfortunately the fear mongering by the Gov, media and the message that the vaccine is going to be our saviour is the biggest con this country has dealt with in a long time.

Yes the virus exists...yes it kills...but to think wearing masks,self isolating and having the vaccine will be the end of it, then think again imo.

This year will be worse than last imo. Not just the virus...but the knock on effects lockdown has had on physical and mental well being, job losses, highest divorce rate, cancers and other ailments that have been sidelined...and then finding a way of paying back furlough etc.

Watching footy is the least of our worries.

Spudski sorry to pull you up on this, but vaccines will change the infection rates. In fact, they already are. 

Check this thread from the FT out: 

 

I am feeling much more optimistic about the world and, personally, looking forward to some live football! :)

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2 minutes ago, spudski said:

As for the minister saying 99%...he said maybe. Not a guarantee. And how he worded it was that 99% of the over 50s had a reduced risk of dieing. Not that they won't...just less chance.

That doesn't stop people catching it, spreading it or going to hospital and being seriously ill. 

People hoping the vaccine is the answer is futile. It's not going to change infection rates. It just reduces the chance of dieing from it.

Unfortunately the fear mongering by the Gov, media and the message that the vaccine is going to be our saviour is the biggest con this country has dealt with in a long time.

Yes the virus exists...yes it kills...but to think wearing masks,self isolating and having the vaccine will be the end of it, then think again imo.

This year will be worse than last imo. Not just the virus...but the knock on effects lockdown has had on physical and mental well being, job losses, highest divorce rate, cancers and other ailments that have been sidelined...and then finding a way of paying back furlough etc.

Watching footy is the least of our worries.

Well if this is true - which I don't think it is - then we might as well be dead. We aren't living right now just existing. We need to return to normal asap accepting a certain level of risk (as with anything) and that risk is going to be much less with the vaccine (whether it stops transmission or not). I can't see people accepting it either - the government cant keep bailing out millions forever either. The list is endless as to how this has to be the last lockdown and return to normality. Unless something serious happens in terms of a variant that suddenly kills x% more.

With the vaccine length - I saw something about good immunity for 4 months at least so I would anticipate this would not be a big issue. So if most vulnerable got it by start of winter every year then there wouldn't be a massive issue as by time immunity starts to run out we would be in to warmer temperatures when the virus doesn't thrive as much.

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Just now, Robin101 said:

Spudski sorry to pull you up on this, but vaccines will change the infection rates. In fact, they already are. 

Check this thread from the FT out: 

 

I am feeling much more optimistic about the world and, personally, looking forward to some live football! :)

Be nice not to hear endless doom and fearmongering about it all too. Time for a bit of positivity about how quickly everything is falling and how it will continue to so with the vaccine to levels that make the risk acceptable for normal life.

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2 minutes ago, Alex_BCFC said:

Be nice not to hear endless doom and fearmongering about it all too. Time for a bit of positivity about how quickly everything is falling and how it will continue to so with the vaccine to levels that make the risk acceptable for normal life.

I have been following these data dork types (no offence to them) on twitter quite religiously recently as their analysis is a) very detailed and b) almost entirely good news right now.

Perversely, it’s not really in the government’s interest to shout about these good news stories too loudly because it limits how much people will obey the lockdown. For now, that’s still quite risky. Likewise I think the threat of this super variant that will evade our vaccines entirely is really being overblown, but it’s a useful threat to the public for now. 

It’s not over yet, but we are very nearly there. The days are getting lighter in every sense of the word.

Apart from at Ashton Gate, anyway. 

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43 minutes ago, Robin101 said:

Spudski sorry to pull you up on this, but vaccines will change the infection rates. In fact, they already are. 

Check this thread from the FT out: 

 

I am feeling much more optimistic about the world and, personally, looking forward to some live football! :)

That really doesn't show much, as it coincides with people being locked in. The only way it will truly show is if we went back to normal living.

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44 minutes ago, Alex_BCFC said:

Well if this is true - which I don't think it is - then we might as well be dead. We aren't living right now just existing. We need to return to normal asap accepting a certain level of risk (as with anything) and that risk is going to be much less with the vaccine (whether it stops transmission or not). I can't see people accepting it either - the government cant keep bailing out millions forever either. The list is endless as to how this has to be the last lockdown and return to normality. Unless something serious happens in terms of a variant that suddenly kills x% more.

With the vaccine length - I saw something about good immunity for 4 months at least so I would anticipate this would not be a big issue. So if most vulnerable got it by start of winter every year then there wouldn't be a massive issue as by time immunity starts to run out we would be in to warmer temperatures when the virus doesn't thrive as much.

I totally agree with you. We are just existing like a cabbage...rather than living a life. 

Sad thing is... we've been in lockdown and haven't socialised. The longer that continues our immunity suffers, and we are more likely to pick up infections. It's a catch 22. All this lockdown is for...is to stop the NHS from being swamped. It's not for our long term health benefits. And you are right...this could go on forever if we don't change the model.  

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32 minutes ago, spudski said:

I totally agree with you. We are just existing like a cabbage...rather than living a life. 

Sad thing is... we've been in lockdown and haven't socialised. The longer that continues our immunity suffers, and we are more likely to pick up infections. It's a catch 22. All this lockdown is for...is to stop the NHS from being swamped. It's not for our long term health benefits. And you are right...this could go on forever if we don't change the model.  

It won’t go on for much longer as it can’t for millions of reasons - this I think will be last one (although you might see odd one for a new variant in a certain postcode or small area). 

I think a lot of people have given up on the rules anyway as the roads are barely any different to normal times these days.

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10 hours ago, Lrrr said:

Once fans have been able to have a continued period to watch every game I can see a backlash once they can't watch (for example) City away at Middlesbrough on a midweek evening when you'd have no hope of travelling there due to work.

Never mind driving to Middlesbrough, I can't be arsed to find my laptop to get RobinsTV on the way we been playing. 

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6 hours ago, Alex_BCFC said:

It won’t go on for much longer as it can’t for millions of reasons - this I think will be last one (although you might see odd one for a new variant in a certain postcode or small area). 

I think a lot of people have given up on the rules anyway as the roads are barely any different to normal times these days.

Maybe regional varieties on this but in Bristol anyway, definitely- dunno about quite as much as normal times but a lot more traffic than Lockdown 1, clearly (I know this is technically 3 but that month long one- nah, comparing like with like is now v last Spring). Far more traffic, far more people out.

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Form experience, it'll go back to normal.

Where I'm living, human behaviour has largely gone back to normal. There's some changes around air travel - hotel quarantine on arrival etc - but other than that everything is normal.

No one kept going out for the daily walks they all said they'd continue with. Shops and restaurants have taken down their plastic screens, and brought back paper menus. Hand sanitizer dispensers are empty or removed. Everyone drives, traffic is what it always was. Offices are full again, and the signs have gone. Everyone goes to the cinema like normal. Gyms and shops and restaurants are all back to how they were.

If football and the ticketing methods in the UK don't follow that same pattern I'd be amazed. Humans are humans and society is set up as it is.

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11 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

Form experience, it'll go back to normal.

Where I'm living, human behaviour has largely gone back to normal. There's some changes around air travel - hotel quarantine on arrival etc - but other than that everything is normal.

No one kept going out for the daily walks they all said they'd continue with. Shops and restaurants have taken down their plastic screens, and brought back paper menus. Hand sanitizer dispensers are empty or removed. Everyone drives, traffic is what it always was. Offices are full again, and the signs have gone. Everyone goes to the cinema like normal. Gyms and shops and restaurants are all back to how they were.

If football and the ticketing methods in the UK don't follow that same pattern I'd be amazed. Humans are humans and society is set up as it is.

Where do you live?

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